USC suffers desert meltdown at Arizona State

Arizona State quarterback Taylor Kelly (10) runs for forty yards against Southern California during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Sept. 28 2013, in Tempe, Ariz.
Rick Scuteri - The Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. >> USC hired defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast to stop the spread offense, but his work Saturday night looked awfully similar to Monte Kiffin’s ineptness as the Trojans suffered a meltdown against Arizona State.

The Sun Devils defeated USC, 62-41, in a totally embarrassing performance that saw the Trojans surrender the same number of points they allowed to Oregon that caused Kiffin to resign.

The performance belied USC coach Lane Kiffin’s earlier comments that the Trojans “fixed the defense” and “this is what we set out to do in January” following the defense’s earlier efforts.

This morning, the defense is in shambles with starting safeties Dion Bailey and Su’a Cravens having left the game with injuries. Wide receiver Marqise Lee was carted to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury.

It was not totally the defense’s fault, as USC quarterback Cody Kessler threw two interceptions and tailback Tre Madden threw an interception and fumbled. The whole situation will lead to even more questions about USC’s scholarship issues because of depth concerns amid the injuries.

But USC also proved again its offense is woeful in the third quarter. The Trojans (3-2, 0-2) were outscored 28-7 in the period.

With 9:55 left in the third quarter, Arizona State led USC, 40-21 and the Trojans were in a daze. It did not help the defense that Kessler locked on to Lee and had his pass intercepted and returned 46 yards for a touchdown by safety Alden Darby to give the Sun Devils a 34-21 lead.

That negated Kessler’s 51-yard pass to Lee to start the second half that set up a 24-yard touchdown run by Madden to give the Trojans a 21-20.

USC’s feel-good drive evaporated when Arizona State tailback D.J. Foster took a pass over the middle and raced 74 yards for a touchdown.

Kessler completed his first 10 passes but threw two interceptions. One was a good pass that wide receiver Lee let brush off his chest and hands and into the hands of Arizona State’s Osahon Irabor.